Overview & Reviews

For more than 100 years now, Ford Motor Company has been selling mass-produced automobiles in the United States and around the globe. Known as one of the Big Three American manufacturers, Ford has attracted millions of loyal customers with a wide range of vehicles that offer considerable value. The automaker's trucks and SUVs have been especially popular. For decades, Ford's F-Series truck has been the best-selling vehicle in America.

The company was founded by Henry Ford in 1903. Ford dreamed of building a car for the masses, and that's precisely what he did, most notably with the immortal Model T of 1908-'27. The latter was bought by 16.5 million Americans during its 20-year lifespan and was affordable enough for Ford's own factory workers to purchase. Ford's early years were also distinguished by its introduction of the moving assembly line. It was the first to utilize this more cost-effective method of production, and its innovation became a mainstay of the manufacturing process.

Ford expanded into the luxury-car market with its purchase of Lincoln Motor Company in 1925. Over the next few years, the company broadened its focus even further by creating the Mercury division to produce mid-priced cars. By the late '30s, Ford had unveiled the stylish Lincoln Zephyr, introduced a low-priced V8 engine and built more than 25 million vehicles.

The 1950s saw the introduction of the legendary Thunderbird. Offering sleek styling and spirited performance wedded to available luxury features like power windows and a signal-seeking radio, the car was a huge hit. Another model of that decade, the Edsel, met with a somewhat less enthusiastic reception. In the wake of abysmal sales, the Edsel was discontinued just a few months into its third model year.

Ford regained its footing in the early 1960s with the introduction of the compact Falcon, a model that was warmly received by the public. By the middle of the decade the automaker had given enthusiasts something to cheer about with the launch of the sporty Mustang, a car that went on to become one of the biggest sellers of its day. Buyers adored the Mustang's low price, available powerful V8 engines and sporty styling. The Mustang even created a brand-new vehicle category: the pony car.

By the 1970s, Ford, like other domestic automakers, was starting to suffer the effects of changing consumer tastes and new government regulations. Many of its cars became shadows of their former selves. But the seeds of rebirth were planted in this decade. In 1979, the company acquired a stake in Mazda; this move would later aid Ford significantly in co-development projects. The company also emerged with a new mindset of global competitiveness.

By the mid-to-late '80s, Ford was showing new strength with its popular Escort and Taurus models while further expanding its empire with the purchase of the Aston Martin and Jaguar brands. Meanwhile, its full-size LTD sedan (later renamed the Crown Victoria) remained a staple of taxi companies and police forces throughout America.

Ford rode a wave of popularity in the 1990s, thanks in part to the huge success of its Explorer midsize SUV. The truck played a huge role in ushering in the era of the SUV. In 1999, Ford expanded its family yet again with the purchase of Volvo's car division, and, in 2000, it acquired Land Rover. For awhile, there was talk of Ford even taking General Motors' spot as the No. 1 automaker in the world.

But the new millennium initially saw a downturn for Ford. Increased competition, a continuing operating loss for Jaguar, legacy costs and a reliance on SUVs for profit took their toll. To compensate, the company sold Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo and introduced a wave of successful new products. Models like the F-150, Fusion, Fiesta, Focus, Flex and Mustang have allowed Ford to regain its health and standing as a very competitive manufacturer.

User Reviews:

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  Stay Away from Ford! - 2012 Ford Fiesta
  By lrperki - July 22 - 6:01 pm

  We bought our Ford Fiesta brand new in 2012. Since then weve had multiple issues. The stereo system only operates properly 50% of the time. The car has cut off on us twice and the dealership doesnt know what causes it but after a day or two it turns on again (terrifying). The transmission has always had issues and had to be REPLACED this year after only 2.5 years... And to top it all off the car shut off in the middle of a very busy street this week and the dealership has yet to determine the issue. We are NEVER getting in the car again and buying a new vehicle. We will never buy a Ford again. STAY AWAY!

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  New Pony is a real treat - 2015 Ford Mustang
  By Robert - July 22 - 3:01 pm

  So I loved it from the beginning, but then I’m from Europe and would prefer a slim, elegant vehicle over a box on wheels, especially one that looks this great and has a powerful engine with manual transmission at a price that only gets me a third of an equally powered Mercedes-Benz AMG of BMW M series. Some people may decry the morphing of the new Mustang look from retro Americana to sleek James Bond, but I think it remains the icon, only with a style and driving dynamics that finally caught up to discerning global tastes at a value proposition that’s simply unbeatable. How the folks at Ford can give us this much power at $40k, I don’t know. While its appeal should be global, the car still attracts traditional muscle car enthusiasts. Random guys on motorbikes and other sporty vehicles have shadowed me lately and some drove alongside the Mustang to check it out, to then accelerate and pass with a thumbs-up. By far the most impressive part is the handling, my Recaro seats hold me tightly when cornering, and the Pirellis push the dangers beyond my own driver limits. Acceleration is smooth and seems to redline way too early, a beautiful transmission is a pleasure to shift, the responsive steering has three settings from comfort to normal to sports mode, and the sound of the 8cyl is aggressive enough to make me smile every time I push the start button. Only thing I regret is getting the performance package. It requires a much smoother surface than Michigan roads can provide.

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  FOUND ON ROAD DEAD ...comfy to wait for help in? - 2014 Ford Focus
  By christa - July 21 - 5:13 pm

  roll back on hill: I have had several instances where this has almost caused an accident on the road where my car that was a safe distance in front of other cars began to roll backwards having to hit my gas or press my breaks in order to prevent impact. My car has rolled over 10ft backwards. Auto max keeps saying its what its "SUPPOSED" to do saying that and the shuddering, shifting hard and jumping is too. Contacted Temple Tx ford and explained the situation and how we were being treated and they had us meet this time with the actual technician for ford at Automax in Killeen where he witnessed the roll back first hand and my husband having to intervene by pressing the gas to go forward before hitting a dealership car. He seemed very surprised and told us right away it was unnatural and he would definitely need to contact ford to look into it further. We went back into service where he told the Service guy what had happened, service continued to claim rolling back 10 feet or more was normal and the tech began to agree...within five minutes... we are paying extra to insure that if we have to leave it with them like we have been needing to do so much we would have a car since both my husband and I need to work. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE to use a car being told that they dont have one available and there is a waiting list to get them. They have recently bought a shuttle bus to haul everyone with. I have NEVER SEEN a loaner car by the way. they kept the car for a week only doing the one thing they only do...Reset the computer. We have done this 3 times and I will be taking it in again since my problem hasnt been fixed

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  I tried but I could not do it... Ford fix the ride - 2015 Ford F-150
  By JoeTX - July 21 - 3:48 pm

  I recently purchased a new truck. To my dismay it was not the F150. As I test drove the other brands (Dodge, Chevy, GMC, Toyota) none of them really spoke to me. I drove an F150 with a bench seat with a straight V6 and was not impressed so the salesman asked me to try out the Lariat. All I had to do was sit in it and I was sold. I am a big guy 350+ lbs and this cabin fit like a glove. It spoke to me like no other. I was super excited and took it for a test drive. I felt the road and the bumps but the salesman told me that it was a stiff suspension because it was new and it was a 4x4. I was super excited to bring my wife with me the next day to take a test drive of the 4x2. I went to the dealer with my checkbook and title to my current truck. I was mentally prepared to pay extra above my target budget to get this truck. We took the V6 turbo 4x2 Lariat for an extended test drive of about 30 min stopping home to show the kids. The entire ride on the highway and on our newly paved side roads I kept asking my wife if she could feel the road and the bumps and the jitter but she said no it was OK. When we got back to the dealership and the salesman was parking the F150 my wife told me the ride sucked, I wasnt crazy, and her back hurt. She didnt want to say anything bad with the salesman in the truck with us. I soon realized my back hurt as well from the bumps and jostling around on smooth roads. I tried and I tried to talk myself and my wife into purchasing the F150 but we couldnt. We just could not spend that kind of $ for a ride this bad. The cost of the F150 is significantly higher locally (TX) than the other brands. We went down the road to our second choice and purchased a truck with the same feature set for less $ but I settled for it. I am happy to have a new truck after 13 years but Im not super excited. I feel I would have been more excited with the F150 if it would have just rode as good as any of the other brands. It wasnt even close. The ride is called out as the biggest con in many reviews. I am not a brand loyalist. I purchase based on features I want that I determine before I go shopping, comfort, and other professional and owner reviews. Over the last 24 years Ive owned a Dodge for 11 years and a Chevy for 13 years. I purchase to get my $ out of the vehicle and I take care of them so they last. I love the look. I love the styling. I love the cabin on the Lariat. I love the 3.5L V6 turbo and the V8. I dislike the price. I hate the ride. The ride is so bad that I could not force myself or talk myself into purchasing the vehicle. If Ford ever fixes the ride I will sell my current truck early and get one. Hopefully, by the time they fix the ride the price will be better too. Ford please fix the ride!!!!

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  RUN LIKE THE WIND - 2012 Ford Fiesta
  By Debbie - July 20 - 10:00 pm

  Thats what you should do when considering this car. I bought my car brand new in July 2012. The test drive was great and I traded an SUV to get better gas mileage and to have the reliability with a new car. Well, I got the great mileage but everything else about this car has been a disappointment. In the first 2 years I had it, 3 door locks broke. They suddenly would not shut and latch - so you couldnt drive the car without the doors flying open. I had to put someone in the back seat to hold the doors shut to get it to the dealer. I had to physically hold the passenger door shut with one hand while driving to the dealer. And then they didnt have the parts. Obviously I couldnt drive it home so they did get me a rental and the door was fixed within a week. Then, the transmission started to shudder and it felt like I was popping the clutch when its an automatic. There were times it would barely go from a stop light and you have to be careful not to pull out in front of anyone because it may go and it may not. Its not safe and I absolutely hate this car. Unfortunately I have 3 more years to pay on it and Fords service leaves alot to be desired. Apparently the transmission has indeed a problem and I took it in last November 2014 - they first told me nothing was wrong with it and all the settings were normal. I threw a fit and told them I needed to speak with the Service Mgr. I spoke with him and he took it out for a long drive and then I got a call saying yes indeed, there is a problem with the transmission and Ford is aware of the problem but they didnt have the parts. They told me it would probably be January 2015 the parts would be in but they would contact me and let me know when they had arrived. Its now July 2015 and I still havent received that notice. Now there is a recall with an emissions problem - I am 63 years old and have never had so many problems with a new car as I have with this Ford. I will never buy another Ford car - EVER.

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  Im Still Happy - 2012 Ford Focus
  By Jim - July 20 - 7:10 am

  First off, let me say that this car has a dual-clutch PowerShift Transmission. Its not an automatic transmission where you have a torque convertor and you simply step on the gas and go. You have to learn to drive this car with your right foot. Its not rocket science, and keeping the car in the right RPM range for the task at hand is pretty simple. I cant help but think that a lot of the folks who have problems with the way it drives have 2 skills: Stomp on the gas or stomp on the brakes. After 42,000 miles the car drives just fine, and with a little right foot control can be a lot of fun to drive. Im getting 30 MPG in mixed driving, and other than oil changes and keeping the tires inflated to the proper pressure ( the original tires are still in good shape at this juncture) have had zero problems with the car. I like the interior, I like the way the car looks, and I like the way it drives. Guess Im just lucky.

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  love my Edge but - 2015 Ford Edge
  By Ken Dara - July 18 - 5:02 pm

  I have owed 3 Edges so I guess I like them, but Ford never gets these 4 things right. 1. The front door handles are to far to the front and hard to pull close. 2. No protection on the rear bumper top so the paint gets chipped taking things in and out. 3. The area under the console to store things is waste, you can not see what is under there, you have to feel around, dumb. 4. Gear shift is to close to the dash board and in park hard to get to the bottom controls. These things may be small but I find them annoying.

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  Luv my Ex - 2002 Ford Excursion
  By Jack - July 18 - 11:08 am

  bumper paint and exterior plastic finishes are lacking

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  Why I Switched from Audi to the New F-150 - 2015 Ford F-150
  By William Biggs - July 18 - 9:38 am

  This truck is great. I recently left my 2013 Audi A6 because I was tired of the endless issues with their German technology. I loved that car, but if one thing had an issue . . . the entire car seemed to have an issue. The new F-150 accelerates like a best, has great comfort and convenience items, and feels safer driving in Southern California. The gas mileage is a little misleading. I have to make a concerted effort to stay above 15mpg in the city, but I didnt buy this truck for fuel economy. My engine is the 3.5 ecoboost and I am pretty sure the 2.7 with auto off/on lives up to the mpg hype. I think my favorite thing so far is the ease of the touchscreen SYNC system. I am a big fan of it. I dont like the on-line features though, because it often times requires calling an operator as opposed to just asking for and receiving results. Overall, if you want a new truck that has the comfort of a car, the mpg of a medium to light suv, and the power of a truck . . . I suggest the new F-150. Be aware that there may be some sticker shock, though.

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  Why rated so negative? - 2015 Ford F-150
  By Lee - July 18 - 12:28 am

  I just got my truck and I am getting 17mpg in town and can hit 28mpg on flat freeway. It is doing everything I had hoped for. I cannot believe how strong the little V6 is. I think most people will opt for it after trying it out.